With four career victories, Lorie Kane is one of the most successful Canadians in recent LPGA history. The Prince Edward Islander is also an Order of Canada recipient.

Five to watch at the Manulife Classic

There are a lot of big names heading to Grey Silo this week. Here’s five players we think you should keep an eye on:

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Stacy Lewis

First year on tour: 2009

Top-10 finishes in 2012: 8

2012 earnings: $857,689

Rolex world ranking: 2

Bio: Lewis crafted her game in Texas before going on to a standout NCAA career as a four-time All-American at the University of Arkansas. She started playing golf at the age of eight, but her future was in doubt before college after she was diagnosed with scoliosis as an 11-year-old. She had back surgery her senior year of high school — which included fusing a metal rod and five screws into her spine — before going on to win 12 collegiate events.

Why watch her: There’s good reason why organizers of the Manulife LPGA Classic shuttled Lewis up to Waterloo for a media event last month. She’s personable, inspirational and one heck of a golfer, probably the best in the world right now. Last week, Lewis supplanted world No. 1 Yani Tseng on the Rolex player of the year standings, the first time that’s happened since early 2011. She always seems to be in contention this year, picking up seven top-five finishes — including a tie for second at the Wegman’s LPGA Championship — and two victories.

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Azahara Munoz

First year on tour: 2010

Top-10 finishes in 2012: 4

2012 earnings: $739,587

Rolex world ranking: 17

Bio: A former NCAA individual and team champion at Arizona State University, Munoz enjoyed a solid amateur career before going pro in 2009. The Spaniard won the Spanish amateur championship and was runner-up at the U.S. Women’s amateur during the same year as her NCAA individual title and also has a British women’s amateur title under her belt. Also represented Europe three times at the PING Junior Solheim Cup.

Why watch her: After her first senior Solheim Cup appearance in 2011, Munoz has been rocketing up the LPGA money list this season, which includes a $375,000 pay day for winning the Sybase Match Play Championship with a 2 and 1 victory over Candie Kung in the final. She finished top-five in four straight tournaments before missing the cut two weeks ago at the Wegman’s LPGA Championship.

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Paula Creamer

First year on tour: 2005

Top-10 finishes in 2012: 2

2012 earnings: $177,866

Rolex world ranking: 11

Bio: Creamer had yet to celebrate her 19th birthday — and was four days shy of graduating from high school — when she won her first LPGA title, sinking a 17-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the 2005 Sybase Classic. Since then, the Pink Panther has set numerous financial milestones, grossing the most money as a rookie with more than $1.5 million in 2005 and becoming the fastest player to reach the $3-million and $4-million marks in tour history.

Why watch her: After winning her first major championship in 2010 and collecting 10 top-10 finishes in 2011, Creamer had a slow start to 2012 before finishing in a tie for eighth at the Shoprite LPGA Classic earlier this month. She then tied for ninth at the Wegman’s LPGA Championship. One of the most popular players on the tour, Creamer is also a supporter of the The First Tee’s Young Ambassador Council, hosting the annual Paula 4 Kids fundraiser for The First Tee branch in Sarasota/Manatee, Fla.

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Lexi Thompson

First year on tour: 2012

Top-10 finishes in 2012: 2

2012 earnings: $227,895

Rolex world ranking: 23

Bio: Like Creamer before her, Thompson is ahead of her time. At the age of 12, she was the youngest person to qualify for a U.S. Women’s Open. Two years later, she was the top-ranked women’s amateur according to Golfweek and in 2010, she was the runner-up at the Evian Masters — all this before she could legally drive. In 2011, she won the Navistar LPGA Classic to become the youngest-ever winner on tour at 16 years, seven months and eight days.

Why watch her: Thompson loves the NHL’s Florida Panthers, so that — an appreciation for hockey — should be enough to make her an honourary Canadian. She’s also passionate about things that are near to her heart. Last month, the 17-year-old picked Marine Lance Cpl. Mark Scott, a 20-year-old Wounded Warrior and Purple Heart recipient from Chicago, to be her beau for an all-expenses prom date as a way to say “thank you” for serving his country.

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Lorie Kane

First year on tour: 1996

Career top-10 finishes: 99

Career earnings: $6,882,605

Rolex world ranking: 191

Bio: Kane is one of the best-known Canadian professional women’s golfers in recent history. She claimed her first tournament title in 2000 at the Michelob Light Classic after nine straight runner-up finishes, then added three more victories that year at the New Albany Golf Classic and the Mizuno Classic. Her fourth and last LPGA title was in 2001 at the LPGA Takefuji Classic, where she held off tour legend Annika Sorenstam.

Why watch her: Kane has struggled on tour since 2006, but there is a lot to like about the native Prince Edward Islander, who attended Acadia University before going pro. On top of her golf exploits, she excelled at hockey and was presented with the Order of Canada in 2006, only the fourth female golfer to earn the honour. Kane is also heavily involved in charitable pursuits, including Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities, KidSport and the ALS Society of Prince Edward Island.